Biography
The owner and founder Thomas C. Smith was born in Hammond, Indiana. He grew up on Summer Street, where he was the youngest of four, of one sister and two brothers. His dad; L. Wayne Smith, began raising four kids all under 10 years of age when it was not really even heard of. He attended Lafayette Elementary School, and graduated from Hammond Technical-Vocational High School.
Tom served in the United States Marine Corps and was honorably discharged. He reached the rank of Sergeant in 20 months of active duty service. In April 1975 while stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Camp Hansen, 4th Marine Regiment (commanded by then Colonel Alfred Gray) as a member of Detachment Papa, Tom participated in the evacuation of South Viet Nam (Operation Frequent Wind). Part of the responsibility of Detachment Papa was to perform security on board the civilian Merchant Ship SS Greenport while transporting more than 5,000 refugee's to safety. As a result of action during Frequent Wind he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal, while Detachment Papa was recognized with the Navy Commendation Medal and Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal. To this day Tom considers his experiences under Col. Gray (the Twenty-Ninth Commandant of the Marine Corps) to be some of the most memorable in his life.
In 1998 Tom graduated Cum Laude from Knoxville Business College (now South College), Knoxville, Tennessee, with an Associates of Science Degree in Paralegal Studies. While at KBC he was a student member of the American Bar Association Site Team for college accreditation. His leadership role on the student team lead to ABA Accreditation. He also received the college “President’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Service and Leadership”, and was recognized in “Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges” in 1996, 1997, and 1998. He also served a one-year Internship as a Criminal Investigator with the District Public Defender's Office for Anderson County, Tennessee.
Over his career, Tom has held positions of: probation officer; legal coordinator; trial assistant, personal injury firm investigator; and private investigator. Tom is also a licensed real estate agent. The one thing Tom has accomplished in his adult life that prepared him most for investigative work is the fact that he spent 16 years as a single parent.
Some would say Tom's work history is a little outside the norm for most Investigators. But it is because of these diverse experiences that he has acquired a broad range of knowledge, and unique skill set that is hard to duplicate, and has enabled him to develop his ability and operate his own business.
